Understanding the Play Disney Parks App at Walt Disney World

In 1999, Walt Disney World validated Guests and the reality of waiting in long lines for attractions at the parks by introducing the FastPass System for the very first time. The system’s goal was to lessen Guests’ wait times in the queues by allowing them to reserve times to enjoy attractions, in much the same way you might make reservations for dinner. And in keeping with Disney’s commitment to continually improve the Guest experience, the parks have now unveiled a new way to make those wait times less frustrating. While we were hoping for an additional two or three FastPass+ selections per day, we are thrilled that Disney unveiled the Play Disney Parks app in June of this year. If you haven’t been to the parks since June, the app is probably completely new to you. Here are a few things you’ll need to do and know to make the most of the app on your next visit.

7. The app turns wait time into game time.

The premise of the Play Disney Parks app is to turn time spent in the queues into quality time spent with family and friends. The app includes interactive trivia, games, music and more that can be explored and enjoyed together. This “group play” makes wait time in the queues much more fun!

6. You’ll need to do a few things first.

In order to use the Play Disney Parks app, you’ll first have to download it. It’s available for Apple and Android smartphones and it’s free. After you download it, open the app, and it will ask you to turn on your location on your phone and then allow the app to access that information. The app only works if it has your location information, as it uses this information to launch the different games in the queues. You’ll also need to enable your Bluetooth capability on your phone.

5. Queue games complement the attractions and only work if you’re in the parks.

Too bad we can’t enjoy these games away from the parks, but they were designed to be used in the queues. Each game is inspired by the attraction for which you’re in line. In the queue for Toy Story Mania, you can play a game called “Playset Party.” In the queue for Peter Pan’s Flight, you can play “Off to Neverland.” “Rocket Race” is the game you can play in the queue for Space Mountain, and at Slinky Dog Dash, you can play “Andy’s Boardgame Blast.” Standing in the queue is what “unlocks” the games. This is why enabling your location is imperative.

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4. Sign in to your online Disney account.

Guests ages 13 and up can set up a Disney account online. Once you have an account set up, you’ll want to sign in to that account before you start to play the games in the Play Disney Parks app. Doing so will allow you to earn digital awards within the app.

3. The app is easy to use.

The Play Disney Parks app not only makes time in the queue more interactive and fun, but it is also very user-friendly. To use the app, follow these easy steps:

Download and open the app.

Enable your location and your phone’s Bluetooth connectivity.

Choose Disney World as your location.

Indicate which of the theme parks you’re enjoying at the time.

Click the Mickey head in the upper left-hand corner of the screen.

Sign in to your Disney account.

Add players to your account.

Enjoy the games!

2. The Play Disney Parks app has an added bonus!

In addition to offering Guests fun games and trivia to enjoy while they wait to experience an attraction, the app also has great music in store for Guests. Access Apple Music from inside the app and you will have access to playlists inspired by the different themed lands in the parks.

1. This app promises to grow!

Disney hasn’t given us too many details, but they have let us know that the app will continue to expand and grow as new attractions and lands are added at the parks. The app promises to be a very valuable tool for Guests once Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens in 2019. The app will enhance Guests’ adventures in the new land and make the experience more immersive and interactive.

About Rebekah Tyndall Burkett

Rebekah grew up in Forney, Texas and lives just outside of Dallas.
She’s been a Disney superfan since childhood, experiencing the magic at Walt Disney World for the first time at the age of 11. Journeys to Neverland are at least a yearly occurrence for her, her husband and her four children (the Fab Four). When they go to the parks, they stay in Florida for three weeks at a time. Rebekah loves exploring the history of the parks, the genius behind the Magic in the person of Walt Disney, and she is intrigued by all things Disney World and Disney Imagineering. When in the parks, Rebekah and her husband Scott make the most of their time by enjoying every minute with their Fab Four, by delving deeper into Walt’s vision for the parks and into the history behind the Walt Disney World Resort, and by photographing the many different types of architecture at Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and on the World Showcase at EPCOT.
When she’s not in the parks, Rebekah is excitedly setting travel dates and planning her family’s next adventure to their happy place deep within the Sunshine State. On breaks from planning her next trip, Rebekah is a writer, journalist and children’s author, penning children’s books about kids with special needs that she affectionately calls “believement-achievement” stories. Her hobbies include creative writing, paper crafting and interviewing Imagineers. She is also an advocate for Autism Awareness and for children with developmental disabilities of all kinds.

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